


Purloining Letters

by a_m_c_7



Series: A Slight Miscalculation [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Blackmail, Drabble, Edgar Allan Poe References, Gen, Humor, Implied Slash, M/M, Minor Sebastian Moran/Jim Moriarty, The Purloined Letter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 15:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16767967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_m_c_7/pseuds/a_m_c_7
Summary: “I need you to break into a house.”Sebastian paused his trek to the kitchen in favor of regarding Jim. His boss sat cross-legged on the living room couch fiddling with the pen in his hand, sheets of paper—some blank, others covered in scribbled writing and messy diagrams—scattered around him on the couch and floor.





	Purloining Letters

“I need you to break into a house.”

Sebastian paused his trek to the kitchen in favor of regarding Jim. His boss sat cross-legged on the living room couch fiddling with the pen in his hand, sheets of paper—some blank, others covered in scribbled writing and messy diagrams—scattered around him on the couch and floor. He looked more unkempt than usual: his tie hung loose, the sleeves of his white button-up were rolled up past his elbows, and his feet were clad in mismatched socks.

“A particular one, or just any house?” Sebastian inquired, venturing to the fridge and looking inside it. Three beers, a half-empty carton of eggs, and leftover Indian takeaway from three weeks ago. He sighed and closed the fridge door, turning back to look at Jim, who had yet to respond. “Boss? Gonna need some more information here.”

“I need proof,” Jim finally said.

Sebastian sighed again. Jim was apparently in one of his cryptic moods. Sebastian didn’t know if Jim did it on purpose for dramatic effect, or if he got so wrapped up in his own intricate thoughts that he honestly had trouble communicating them, but sometimes he would stick to enigmatic and disjointed remarks, forcing Sebastian to coax a more coherent explanation out of him.

Sebastian walked into the living room and sat in an armchair next to the couch. “Okay, so, you want me to break into someone’s house and steal something from it.”

Jim glanced at Sebastian and uncrossed his legs, digging his toes into the carpet. “Correct. He works at the MOD.”

“The MOD? Is this gonna get me shot at?”

“Well, that _is_ what I pay you to do,” Jim mused. “…but no, it’s unlikely. He has a minor administrative position.”

“What do you want with someone in admin?” No guarantee asking the question would get Sebastian a straight answer—or any answer at all, for that matter—but he might as well attempt to satisfy his curiosity.

“He’s been having an affair with a very married, very male government official whose cooperation I need. They write each other letters – bring me an incriminating one.”

“Blackmailing someone with a letter? A bit old-fashioned, isn’t it?”

Jim shrugged. “But effective. He won’t want to risk being both outed _and_ exposed as an adulterer.”

Sebastian nodded and stood, stretching his arms over his head. “Right. Go in, grab a damning letter. Easy enough. Anything else?”

“He has a security system. Set it off.”

Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows. “You want me to trigger his security system?”

“Yes. I need him to know someone broke in. And while you’re at it, leave a message – I don’t care what kind, just make it clear what you took.”

Sebastian observed Jim for a moment, then huffed out a quiet chuckle. “Right, sure. ‘The robber’s knowledge of the loser’s knowledge of the robber’ and ‘the power thus attained,’ and all that.”

Jim turned his head toward Sebastian and regarded him with narrowed eyes. “Did you just quote ‘The Purloined Letter’?”

“Maybe,” Sebastian replied, drawing out the a and affecting an innocent expression.

Jim narrowed his eyes further.

“What? I read a lot as a kid. Just popped into my head.” Sebastian flashed his boss a brief grin. “I’ll just go do the job, then, yeah? Text me the address.”

Jim gave him one last look, then turned back to the papers scattered next to him on the couch and uncapped his pen.

Sebastian gathered what he would need and, shrugging on a black hoodie, paused on his way to the door. “One more question, though.”

Jim looked up at Sebastian, raising his eyebrow expectantly. “Do you take _all_ your cues from old detective stories?”

“ _Get out_.”

Sebastian laughed as he dodged the pen Jim threw at his head.

**Author's Note:**

> Sebastian references Edgar Allan Poe's detective story "The Purloined Letter" (1845).


End file.
